Episode 1196 (12 October 1995)
Synopsis Bianca gears up for her driving test and a dodgy scheme of David's goes awry. It's a day of surprises for Ian when he gets a shock in the chippy. Michelle has an unwanted visitor who throws her feelings into turmoil. Michelle sits by the phone waiting to hear. No luck so far, she starts to get very neurotic (even more so than usual). Ruth comes home to wash her jumper as the brats had messed all over it. (just don't ask WHAT that sticky brown mess was !!) Michelle waffles on a bit about how life is just chance, and that we're fooling ourselves if we think that we plan it - like Ruth moving to Walford and meeting Mark was such an unlikely event, etc. Michelle also asks Ruth what it was like moving away from home so young and what her mother thought. Ruth explains that one easily: well, you met my father. She asks Michelle if she's OK, and Michelle says err yes. Ian gives Cindy a watch/bracelet, saying happy anniversary. She of course has totally forgotten with more interesting things on her mind. She says that she'll give him his later, it's a special surprise.(very unconvincingly! 0 She rushes out past Gita, who says hello, Cindy explains why she's in such a hurry, she has to think of something really special for Ian. Phil gets Kathy breakfast in bed, flowers, etc., and is all lovey-dovey. Kathy asks him if they can avoid telling anyone until after the amniocentesis test result, though Phil is dying to tell Peggy, Kathy points out that Grant won't be happy as he wanted kids with Sharon, and she's not keen on telling Ian either. So Phil agrees to leave it for a while. Kathy later tells Pat she's told him, and how great it is that he's pleased. There's a knock on Michelle's door - it's Gary, Michelle's boss. He says he came to see if she was all right. (He naively actually believed her when she called in "sick"). He says he found out that the last day before she went off sick she went to the child's funeral. She says yes, I suppose that was very unprofessional of me, rather sarcastically. He is very reasonable about it all and says that it happens to everyone, and he hopes it's not what happened between them? Michelle says no, Gary says he didn't want to hurt her, and Michelle says that's OK, you didn't. He says good, and that he hopes she'll be back at work soon. She says yea, he presses for a precise date, which she stubbornly refuses to give, saying a few days. Gary leaves, not very pleased about it, but amazingly doesn't sack her. Pat is still decorating, and David asks her to look after the car lot while he takes Bianca for her driving test. Pat isn't pleased, but David says that this is the one thing that he has been able to do for her, etc. etc. They drive off, Bianca says she wants to drive, for the practice, but David says we're in a hurry. He goes to an estate and picks up a girl, Carla, who's about 18. He introduces Bianca and says Carla is going to take your driving test for you. Bianca is too stupid to work out how, and David goes into a long explanation, finally Carla asks Bianca for her signature, as she has to sign the form. Bianca is nervous about this, saying they'll be found out, and Carla says don't worry, it doesn't have to look much like it most people are so nervous that they can hardly write before the test anyway. They get to the test centre, and Carla panics, saying the examiner is someone she had last week. David is furious and says why did you come back here so soon? She says that it was a different centre, but he's bound to recognise her. So Bianca has to do it herself. She gives David a hard time afterwards, saying that he had no faith in her, and he says it was just because she was nervous. She says everyone is nervous, David says that he's never seen anyone as nervous as her. She says OK, well let me drive then, since you would have let me out on the road when I hadn't passed my test, and could have killed myself. He says err, well, she smirks and says don't worry, I passed. David is really pleased, and when they get back, says let's just forget about the stupid thing before the test, shall we? Bianca says OK, well I'm out of your way now, you can forget all about me. David protests, says he still wants to see her, and if she wants anything, just ask him. Bianca was just setting him up, so says, oh OK if you insist, you can buy the drinks in the Vic tonight. (She's such a schemer). Gita comes to visit Cindy as Sanjay is staying away for yet another week, his grandfather hasn't popped his clogs yet, so he has to stay. Ian tells Cindy to get rid of her, but Cindy says she can't, she's all by herself, etc. So they have an evening meal with Gita too, she passes out on the sofa, (and appears to have a new Sharmilla who isn't quite as ugly as the little monster she used to use) and Ian says what about my surprise - Cindy brings out a huge present, which turns out to be a fax machine. (!!!stifled yawn) Ian is totally thrilled and says she's amazing how she can read his mind and always knows just what he wants. He is absolutely ecstatic about it!! Michelle goes into the lounge and looks in the paper for other jobs, snivelling all the time. Mark finds Michelle waiting by the phone, asks who "he" is. She says it's a job, and the whole story comes out. She starts snivelling (just when you thought she couldn't look any worse!) and says she has to leave her job because she made a fool of herself, and also the kid died, even though she did what she could. (oh well, that explains everything then!). Mark looks mystified, but says well, you should get away if you're this unhappy, I know because I've been there. Michelle says it's just running away, Mum would say. Mark says forget that, just get away, go to America if you need to. He puts his arm round her and she says she really envies him, he has something she never had (what AIDS? no, it's..) with Ruth. Credits Main cast *Susan Tully as Michelle *Todd Carty as Mark *Gillian Taylforth as Kathy *Steve McFadden as Phil *Adam Woodyatt as Ian *Michelle Collins as Cindy *Shobu Kapoor as Gita *Bill Treacher as Arthur *Caroline Paterson as Ruth *Ian Embleton as Gary *Barbara Windsor as Peggy *Patsy Palmer as Bianca *Martine McCutheon as Tiffany *Pam St. Clement as Pat *Michael French as David *Sid Owen as Ricky *Martyn Read as Mr Baker *Amelia Curtis as Carla *Robin Marchal as Examiner Category:Episode Category:1995 Episodes